Plastic shutters that are used to decorate the exterior of a house are normally formed in a single mold. Because of this molding process, standard sizes are manufactured at a reasonable cost. Occasionally, non-standard-sized shutters are required.
It is too expensive to have molds for every possible size. Therefore, manufacturers have developed customizable shutters. These products require cutting portions of the shutter parts and various assembly techniques.
In many of these customizable shutters, separate stiles are employed which connect to slats. Caps are positioned on the top and bottom. An example of this is disclosed in Vagedes U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,255. Others simply cut off the portions of the top and bottom of a preformed shutter and add an end cap. Such shutters are disclosed in Gandy U.S. Pat. No. 5,617,688 and Vagedes U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,530,986 and 5,347,782.
It is very important that customized shutters have the appearance of a standard molded shutter. In other words, it is important not to be able to detect cut edges. It is also important that the assembly process not be labor intensive and, of course, the overall product must be aesthetically appealing.